MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE - 42 DIE IN JAIL FIRE (FROM ANALYSES OF THREE MULTIPLE FATALITY PENAL INSTITUTION FIRES, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 63941
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: National Fire Protection Assoc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM FIRE JOURNAL, 1978 REPORT BASED ON AN INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE NFPA (NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION) FIRE INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT ACCOMPANYING SLIDES IN NCJ-63944

Annotation

THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF A JAIL FIRE THAT KILLED 42 PERSONS IN MAURY COUNTY, TENNESSEE ARE DESCRIBED, AND FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EXTENSIVE LOSS OF LIFE ARE IDENTIFIED.

Abstract

THE MAURY COUNTY JAIL, A ONE-STORY, FIRE-RESISTIVE BUILDING, EQUIPPED TO HANDLE 40 INMATES, WAS RAVAGED BY A FIRE ON JUNE 26, 1977, ORIGINATING FROM AN INMATE'S CIGARETTE, SUPPLIED BY A VISITOR WHO PASSED THE INMATE'S CELL, AND FUELED BY THE PADDING OF THE CELL. BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE CELL KEYS DURING THE CONFUSION, INMATES AND A NUMBER OF VISITORS, WHO WERE CUSTOMARILY LOCKED IN WITH THE INMATES DURING VISITS, WERE TRAPPED AND THEREFORE VULNERABLE TO TOXIC SMOKE FUMES. SURVIVORS ESCAPED FROM CELLS THROUGH OPENINGS MADE BY RESCUERS IN THE EXTERIOR WALLS OF THE CELLS. THE MAJOR FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE MULTIPLE LOSS OF LIFE WERE THE PRESENCE OF A FUEL THAT, ONCE IGNITED, PRODUCED AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF SMOKE RAPIDLY; THE FAILURE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE IN ITS INCIPIENT STAGE; AND THE ABSENCE OF ANY MEANS FOR QUICKLY AND RELIABLY PROTECTING INMATES AND VISITORS, EITHER BY EVACUATION TO A SECURE PLACE OF REFUGE IN THE BUILDING OR THROUGH INCREMENTAL MEASURES OF DEFENSE AGAINST FIRE WHILE REMAINING IN THE MAIN CELL BLOCK. THIS DOCUMENT, ALONG WITH NCJ 63942 AND 63943, ACCOMPANY THE AUDIOVISUAL NCJ 63944. (RCB)